Disclaimer and such in Part 1
Just a short little chapter I wrote at four in the morning. So, it may be all types of craziness, but I kinda like it.
I must say a huge THANK YOU to my wonderful new beta reader [you know who you are =-) ] for all the great help she has given me in improving my sometimes rather poor grammar and for giving me immediate feedback on my story, even when I don't necessarily want to hear the bad things, lol. Also, big "thank you"'s to my wonderful, constant reviewers!!! Sassy-Satine (thank you for the awesome compliments you've given me through your e-mails. I'm glad you didn't think the first part of chapter 12 was silly, because I was a bit wary of that. And another thank you for thinking that the part where Canton gets angry at Obi-wan is great writing...hehe...I try) and Jedi Keladry ( I'm glad that you got a good laugh out of the last portion of chapter 12. I was giggling all through writing it, so I'm happy the humor played through. Yes, Gary Stu alert, but more of a comedic, satirical look on Gary Stus. I agree that Canton is very annoying, which is why I think I have such a fun time writing him and why I think writing Obi-wan's feeling towards him comes quite easily for me, lol. I wrote Canton to be one of those guys that if they smile their teeth are soo freakin' white that they do that *ping* thing, if you have any idea what I'm rambling about. Anyway, thanks again so much for all of your wonderful comments. I really appreciate them all.)
Now, onto chapter 13!!! Hope ya'll enjoy!!!
Obi-wan sat in the two-bed chamber that he shared with his Master and the two crewmen. It had been seventeen days since they had arrived on Iagone and, ever since their little incident over tea, Obi-wan and Canton had religiously avoided each other. After that uncivil ordeal, neither of them wanted to face the embarrassment of looking at each other. Out of the two of them, though, the conversation they shared had affected Obi-wan much greater. Canton had all but outright confessed Obi-wan's feelings about Padme for him. The lieutenant saw it as love, but Obi-wan wasn't sure. Love was something so foreign to him that he didn't even know what to look for in identifying it. As much grumbling as he had done before about wishing he had the Force to help him, his longing to tap into its knowledge and comfort only increased with Canton's outburst. Obi-wan couldn't wait to get off the planet, but he did the best he could to adapt to a Force-less lifestyle. And even though he was now allowed to visit and talk with Padme, he didn't find it much of a comfort since most of his confusion stemmed from her. Yes, he'd stroll around the house with her or sit with her on the porch occasionally, but mostly he plunged himself into various activities and chores around the house to keep his mind off her. Of course, Canton didn't help. He was always to be found by her side. Mr. Perfect. Force, he was so irritating. Obi-wan wanted Padme desperately away from the too-suave-to-be-real lieutenant, but he couldn't even think of one good reason to convince her to do so. He let his thoughts come back to the present, though, and reminded himself that he was a Jedi, that they were on a mission, and he had work to do.
'So much for trying to meditate without the Force,' he thought with a sigh. Obi-wan continued to stare out the open door that led to the balcony. It was the morning of the day that he, Padme, and Rohhe were to go to the hidden sitting room and retrieve the food Illyria had left for them. He was glad beyond belief that he was finally going to be able to get out of the house and just be with Padme, because he was sure that without the calming affects of the Force that he would go completely crazy any day.
Obi-wan was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't hear or sense Padme approach the bedroom door.
Padme had just taken a shower and had been exiting the room she shared with Qui-gon when she saw her best friend, sitting on his bed and sadly gazing out to the balcony. She had been wanting to speak with him privately for, well, ever since they had gotten off restriction, but he was avoiding her. She knew it had something to do with Canton, because she had noticed that Obi-wan's mood had changed drastically when she, Qui-gon, and Rohhe had returned from their meeting with Illyria. She had even asked Canton about it, but he had said that nothing out the ordinary had happened while she was away.
Canton. Now he was a character to her. He made it blatantly obvious in their previous conversations that he wanted something more than friendship between them, and had even tried to kiss her on more than one occasion, but Padme would have none of it. Sure, the guy was sweet, sometimes a little too sweet for her liking, but she was a Jedi and the area of love and attachment was not territory she could walk.
Padme looked longingly at Obi-wan, who still had yet to notice her standing in the doorway.
She wanted her best friend back.
Wiping all traces of sadness and confusion off of her face, she cleared her throat and made her presence known as she walked into the room.
Obi-wan's face lit up at the sight of the figure that sat down next to him on his bed. It was nice to see her without that puppy dog of a lieutenant following in her shadow.
"A credit for your thoughts." She started with a smile.
"You have the credit?" He said while looking around her body, trying to find the aforementioned form of currency. Padme laughed and hit Obi-wan's arm to halt its search of her utility belt.
"It's not very gentlemanly of you to tousle a lady like that." She tried to hide the grin on her face as she straightened out her robes.
"Whoever said you were a lady?" Padme's jaw dropped in mock offense.
"But whoever said I was a gentleman either?" Obi-wan continued before the slew of insults could come off of Padme's tongue.
Padme gave him a death glare. "Sometimes you're insufferable, Obi-wan Kenobi, you know that?" She got up from the bed and, while running her fingers through her damp hair, walked over to the small vanity mirror that was situated on top of the room's main bureau.
"Of course I know. That's why I do it."
Obi-wan came up from behind her and laid a gentle hand on her wrist.
"Let me do that." He whispered softly and pulled her back to the bed with him. Sitting her down on the floor in front of him, he placed one leg on either side of her body and settled himself on the mattress above her. Reaching to his right and into a drawer of the small desk next to his bed, Obi-wan pulled out a large, bone comb.
Padme closed her eyes when she felt Obi-wan's fingers working out all the knots in her long, tangled hair. She loved it when other people played with her hair, even though the only other two to have done it, besides herself, were Qui-gon and Obi-wan. Nonetheless, it felt wonderful, and since she wasn't allowed many physically pleasureful things, belonging to the Jedi Order and all, she always enjoyed the opportunity when it came along. Her cheeks began to blush. She wanted to giggle at the train of thought her mind was taking, but decided against it because she knew she'd have to explain it to Obi-wan. How embarrassing would that be?
Obi-wan could feel the contentment emanating off the Padawan at his feet and smiled. He was glad to give her at least a small joy amidst their perilous situation. He was filled with content, as well, in knowing that Padme would never allow anyone besides her Master or him to perform such an intimate gesture. Slowly, he worked out all the big knots in her hair with his fingers and then moved on to get out the smaller knots with the comb he held in his right hand.
'Force, she has such an intoxicating scent.' Closing his eyes, he inhaled the soft aroma that came from her newly-cleaned body. He had never noticed it before, or maybe it was the planet's shampoo that she was using, but he could've sworn that he smelled a hint of some sort of exotic fruit in her hair. Either way, she smelt very good and he was beginning to really enjoy being in her presence again.
Sweeping the comb one last time through Padme's hair before he sectioned it off for her padawan braids, Obi-wan noticed her convulse slightly and draw in a sharp breath. He quickly stopped his movements.
"Did I hurt you?" he asked worried.
"No," Padme breathed out with merriment in her voice, "you just gave me the chills." She moved her hair to the side to show him her bare neck covered with goose bumps.
Obi-wan smiled and licked the tip of his finger. Running it lightly over the back of her neck and shoulder, he leaned forward and gently blew on the trail he had just made, grinning as he saw the bumps intensify.
Padme laughed but squirmed her neck and shoulder out of his grasp.
"No more of that Jedi Kenobi." Even if he couldn't see her face, Obi-wan could hear the smile in her voice.
"Maybe for now..." He trailed off, realizing how suggestive his voice sounded.
Padme was shocked, to say the least. Had Obi-wan just used that sexy, flirtatious voice on her? As awkward as she always thought the notion of Obi-wan coming onto her might be, it wasn't. She actually kind of liked the sound of it coming off his lips. Pushing it out of her mind, though, she let it slide and leaned back to allow him to start braiding her hair.
The female padawan braid style Padme had chosen wasn't too complicated, but it was more complicated than most. First, Obi-wan created a rectangular section on the top of her head and then vertically parted the remaining hair into two sections. With the two bottom sections he did normal braids and tied them off at the ends with some elastic bands. On the top section, however, he took small pieces one at a time and wove them together to create a braid that fit snugly against Padme's scalp. It didn't take long to do, but Obi-wan meandered a bit because he didn't want the lovely situation they had found themselves in to end.
It did have to come to an end, though, and when he was finished, Obi-wan gently laid his hands on Padme's shoulders. She looked up at him with a smile.
"Thank you Obi-wan." She stood and faced him but then realized that she was standing directly in between his knees. Blushing, she made her way towards the exit.
"Padme..." Obi-wan's voice stopped her.
She turned around to find him not on his bed, like she had expected, but mere inches away from her face.
Obi-wan stared at her for a few moments, not quite sure of what his voice had wanted his next words to be. Eventually deciding to say nothing, he slowly raised a hand and let his thumb lightly caress her left cheek.
Padme didn't know what to say or what to do. The intensity of Obi-wan's gaze was like nothing she had ever before seen from him. She liked it, yet, she was also afraid of it.
Afraid.
Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering. The mantra quickly played in her head.
"I...I," She stammered as she backed out of his touch, "I better go finish getting ready for our trip." She made a quick exit from the room before Obi-wan even had time to speak.
Hearing the click of Padme's bedroom door shutting, Obi-wan turned and made his way back to his bed. With a sigh, he lowered himself onto the soft mattress and went back to his attempts of Force-less meditation.
TBC...